Each weeknight, Sylvia Mason walks the half mile from her apartment to the community center in downtown Issaquah for dinner. Her car broke down in December, and with her artificial knee and bad hip she needs to use a cane.

But she hasn't missed a hot meal in years, and over that time she's gotten to know other regulars who come for a similar reason: Their fixed incomes only go so far.

"I come here to feed myself," she said. "I only get $16 a month in food stamps, and $16 doesn't go very far."

The Issaquah Meals program has been feeding the hungry for at least 20 years. It serves approximately two to three dozen people a night. Most are 35 to 54; some are homeless. But when the coordinators recently noticed an uptick in older visitors, they conducted a survey and found that one in five patrons was over 60.

Recent studies have found that hunger and lack of access to regular meals are growing problems among older people. In Washington, 5 percent of those 65 and older are at risk of hunger, according to Meals on Wheels.

On a recent night at the Issaquah Meals program, more than 30 needy people trickle in for fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, salad, oranges and brownies, plus lemonade and coffee. Most are young, including a shy teen with a skateboard, while others are homeless or jobless, or struggling with addictions or mental illness.

After everyone receives a first helping, they're invited to eat seconds or take some food with them. Most of the younger people hoist their backpacks and leave. Mason stays to clean up and chat with a few of the other older guests, including Roy Anderson, who has been eating his dinners here for three years.

"There are times you get short on everything. These meals provide something that's essential," Anderson said.